Homework first or Playtime?
Post written by Jomary Schulz, 3rd grade Public school teacher.
Should my child do their homework first when they get home or should they be allowed to go out and play before sitting down for their nightly studying? This is an ongoing question I get year after year at Parent-Teacher conferences. And my response is always the same, what is best for your child?
If you are not sure what would be best for your child and your family consider the following questions?
outside first
* Does your child have a hard time sitting down for a long period of time? (If yes, then coming home directly from a 6 hour school day may be too much, and they may need to burn off some steam.)
* Does your child love playing outside with his/her friends? (If yes, then going outside right after school may be a good idea so that they may enjoy an hour of sunshine before it gets dark.)
* Do you need some down time when you first get home to get dinner ready and/or some housework done? (If yes, then this may be just the opportunity you have been waiting for.)
homework first
* Does your child have a "to-do list" in their heads about what they need to get done before they are able to go and enjoy themselves? (If yes, then coming home and sitting down right away may ease your child's mind.)
* Are you unable to relax until you give them the help they may need on their homework? (If yes, then making homework a priority when you get home will ease your mind.)
* Do you prioritize "family time" during the school week? (If yes, then making sure homework gets done in a timely manner as soon as you get home is a must.)
As you can see their is no right or wrong answer, and every child's and family's needs are different. Once you decide what is going to work best, you need to consider some very important things:
* Your child must have a homework spot. It needs to be well lit and have all of the necessary supplies: pencils, erasers, and notebook paper.
* You need to be consistent with the homework/playtime plan. Children thrive on consistency and they need to know what to expect. Your child will adapt to whichever plan you choose but whatever you do, don't change it every day.
* Regardless if you allow them to play outside or have them do homework first give them a time limit. Your child needs to be able to become responsible and have good time management skills. Also, if you notice that your child's homework is taking way too long to complete, then a conversation with your child's teacher may be necessary.
* Hold your child accountable for whatever action you put into place. Create a reward system or give them an incentive if they stay on task, focus, and complete what is expected. (Who doesn't like to be rewarded for a job well done?)
* Finally, relax! It won't be perfect all the time and some days you may even want to go out to dinner.
Your family comes first, and as long as you regard education as being important your child will too!
Should my child do their homework first when they get home or should they be allowed to go out and play before sitting down for their nightly studying? This is an ongoing question I get year after year at Parent-Teacher conferences. And my response is always the same, what is best for your child?
If you are not sure what would be best for your child and your family consider the following questions?
outside first
* Does your child have a hard time sitting down for a long period of time? (If yes, then coming home directly from a 6 hour school day may be too much, and they may need to burn off some steam.)
* Does your child love playing outside with his/her friends? (If yes, then going outside right after school may be a good idea so that they may enjoy an hour of sunshine before it gets dark.)
* Do you need some down time when you first get home to get dinner ready and/or some housework done? (If yes, then this may be just the opportunity you have been waiting for.)
homework first
* Does your child have a "to-do list" in their heads about what they need to get done before they are able to go and enjoy themselves? (If yes, then coming home and sitting down right away may ease your child's mind.)
* Are you unable to relax until you give them the help they may need on their homework? (If yes, then making homework a priority when you get home will ease your mind.)
* Do you prioritize "family time" during the school week? (If yes, then making sure homework gets done in a timely manner as soon as you get home is a must.)
As you can see their is no right or wrong answer, and every child's and family's needs are different. Once you decide what is going to work best, you need to consider some very important things:
* Your child must have a homework spot. It needs to be well lit and have all of the necessary supplies: pencils, erasers, and notebook paper.
* You need to be consistent with the homework/playtime plan. Children thrive on consistency and they need to know what to expect. Your child will adapt to whichever plan you choose but whatever you do, don't change it every day.
* Regardless if you allow them to play outside or have them do homework first give them a time limit. Your child needs to be able to become responsible and have good time management skills. Also, if you notice that your child's homework is taking way too long to complete, then a conversation with your child's teacher may be necessary.
* Hold your child accountable for whatever action you put into place. Create a reward system or give them an incentive if they stay on task, focus, and complete what is expected. (Who doesn't like to be rewarded for a job well done?)
* Finally, relax! It won't be perfect all the time and some days you may even want to go out to dinner.
Your family comes first, and as long as you regard education as being important your child will too!
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